PreK-4 Education/PreK-8 Special Education Teacher Certification

Special Education Requirements

• ED 512 Differentiating Instruction in the Inclusion Classroom (3 credits)
• ED 580 Introduction to Inclusive Education (3 credits)
• ED 584 Supporting Students with Low Incidence Disabilities (3 credits)
• ED 585 Positive Behavioral Approaches (3 credits)
• ED 606 Strategic Instruction for Emergent and Content Literacy, K-6 (3 credits)

PreK-4 Education Requirements

• ED 514 Assessment/Classrooms
• ED 517 Human Development: The School Years (K–12)
• ED 526A Learning and Assessment in Elementary Mathematics
• ED 552 Issues and Methods in Elementary School Science
• ED 562A Teaching Social Studies K–6
• ED 601 Literacy Foundations
• ED 618 Instructional Strategies in Early Childhood
• ED 621 Communication Strategies for Effective EC Programs
• ED 622 Teaching Multilingual & Multicultural Literacies
• ED XXX Intensive Fieldwork (to be determined in consultation with advisor)
• ED 592 Graduate Student Teaching Dual Practicum Special Education/Early Elementary Education (credits not applicable to degree)

• ED 514 Assessment in the Classroom (3 credits)
• ED 517 Human Development: The School Years, K–12 (3 credits)
• ED 526A Learning and Assessment in Elementary Mathematics (3 credits)
• ED 552 Issues and Methods in Elementary School Science (3 credits)
• ED 562A Teaching Citizenship and Social Science, K-6 (3 credits)
• ED 601 Literacy Foundations (3 credits)
• ED 618 Instructional Strategies in Early Childhood (3 credits)
• ED 621 Communication Strategies for Effective Early Childhood Programs (3 credits)
• ED 622 ESL: Teaching Multilingual and Multicultural Literacies (3 credits)
• ED XXX Intensive Fieldwork (to be determined in consultation with advisor)
• ED 592 Graduate Student Teaching Dual Practicum: Special/Elementary Education (6 credits) (credits not applicable to degree)

Important Additional Certification Requirements

1. Completion of all subject/content area coursework required to meet the general and specific certification standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education for middle school education certification. This will be determined by the Program Coordinator during an initial advising meeting.
2. Satisfactory completion of student teaching (“B” or better) in the area of certification and the PDE 430 performance-based assessment rating form. (Note that all practicum prerequisites must be met and the adviser’s approval received before enrolling in the student teaching.)
3. Proficiency in the skills of teaching as demonstrated through program fieldwork
4. Program GPA of 3.0 is required by Pennsylvania Department of Education and the University to apply for Instructional I certification.
5. Obtain qualifying scores on the appropriate PECT/PRAXIS required tests (Note: in order for students to receive an Instructional I certificate from the PA Dept. of Education they will need to obtain qualifying scores on all required PECT/PRAXIS tests. Students may retake tests if their scores do not meet the state required cutoff scores.
6. Updated clearance documentation: PA Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse background check and FBI background check.
7. Completion of Pennsylvania Instructional I application required by the University and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Information on the Instructional I application process can be found on the graduate forms page at www.arcadia.edu/gsforms

PECT PreK-4 (3 modules)
Qualifying score: 220 per module

PECT Special Education PreK-8 (2 modules)
Qualifying Score: 220 per module